The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-07-29
REMARKABLE PROGRESS.
what Deaf, Dumb and Bllad BOY ha. Bee,

whats IIesf, Dumb and Bliad hoy has Been
Taught.
From the Hartford Courant.
The closing exercises OF the Ameri
can Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb
were held recently. When the other
exercises were over, little Albert No
Ian went up to the stage. He is a
very bright boy, who, like Laura
Bridgman, is deaf dumb and blind.
He was born deaf and lost his sight
at the age OF 4 years. He is hai.d-
some little fellow, wonderfully quick
III his movements, and full OF inteili
gence. Principal Williams told how
his education was begunwhen he came
to the asylum last fall. At first vari.
Gus articles were marked with their
names i'll raised letters, as "hat,"
"ban, etc, and he soon learned to
pick out corresponding letters, wien
one OF these articles was put
in his hand. They supposed
that he associated the letters and the
articles, but after five weeks were sat.
isfied that this was not the case; that
all he recognized was the similarity OF
the letters themselves. Then, all at
once, he seized the idea OF correspond
ence between the articles themselves
and the names that represented them.
Then he began to makegreat progress.
Now he has q vocabulary OF over 300
words, which he uses with understand
ing. He writes them legibly, spells
them on his fingers with wonderful
rapidity, and makes the corresponds
ing signs. He converses by signs
with the other pupils, among
whom he is a pet, and goes all about
the building, not showing clumsiness.
never making mistake.
Now tor one or two Illustrations
out OF the many that were afforded OF
what he can do. Mr.. Williams stood
by him and spelled on his fingers, aGo
to the window" The boys hand was
against that OF Mr.. Williams, and he
recognized by feeling each letter as it
was formed. Instantly he repeated the
order and they walked to the window.
In the same way he was told to open
and shut 1t, to bring water from aglass
on the table, to break astick that lay
there and many other things. Then
he repeated in signs sentences that
were spelled to him, containing adjec-
tives and transitive and intransitive
verbs, the translation into signs fol.
lowing instantly on the spelling OF the
sentences. Then he was given sen.
tences printed In raised letters on slips
OF cardboard. His fingers moved ov-
er the letters with astonishing speed,
and as soon as he reached the end he
spelled the sentence on his fingers, let
ter by letter, and thengavs it again in
the sign language, accurately, grace
fully and promptly. He was given de-
tached words printed in raised letters
and arranged these into sentences,
hardly ever making mistake in con
struction. He also writes legibly such
words us he has learned. The ad-
vance that he has made In these :aw
months is simply astonishing. His di-
rect instruction has been chiefly by
Miss Flora Noyes OF Franklin, New
Hampshire, n graduate oi the asy.
lnm two years ago. 1t is impossible
in a few sentences to give any adequate
idea OF what has been accomplished in
breaking down the wall OF isolation
raised by his triple misfortune aud
giving opportunity TO All unusually
active mind to establish relations With
others.